Greeks That Should Be Or Should Have Been In The NBA Series: Vassilis Spanoulis

Greeks That Should Be Or Should Have Been In The NBA Series: Vassilis Spanoulis

Greek Player: Vassilis Spanoulis

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6-4

Weight: 210

Description:

Spanoulis is the best player in Europe, and has been for the last 2 years now. Overall, he's been the player in Europe over the last 4-5 years.

He's already considered to be one of the all time greatest Euroleague guards and Greek players, even though his prime just started probably last season.

Just the opinions of some coaches and players..........

Sergio Scariolo (Spain's Olympics national team coach):

"Spanoulis is not only the best player in Europe, he is the best European player currently."

Dusan Ivkovic (legendary Euroleague coach):

"I really can't put into words what Spanoulis means and does for our team. I truly admire him for what he has done for us. He is truly a winner and leader in every way possible. I simply can't thank him enough for what he has meant to our team. There are very few players like him anywhere."

Zeljko Obradovic (legendary Euroleague coach):

"The first time I saw Spanoulis practice, I knew he was the chosen one of European basketball."

Nikos Galis (legendary Euroleague player):

"Of today's players, Spanoulis is truly the most professional. I have to respect him for what he does, what he accomplishes, and how he conducts himself. This is a very serious player."

Andrea Trinchieri (Greek national team coach):

"When we play against Olympiacos, we know that it is obviously not just one player we have to worry about, but an entire team. However, when we prepare a plan to defend them, the whole team game plan is based on how do we stop Spanoulis."

Ruben Magnano (Argentina's gold medal Olympics coach):

"Any team that has Spanoulis on it, can beat any team in the world, in any game, or at any time."

Doug Collins (NBA coach):

"I really have great respect for Spanoulis' game and his ability."

When asked why Jeff Van Gundy did not play Spanoulis in Houston:

"Well, I've never talked to Jeff about that. I don't know what Jeff's reasons are. I would have to talk to him about it before I speculated on that. But just from my own perspective, from what I can see myself...

The way Spanoulis runs the pick and roll, how competitive he is, how tough he is, how fearless he is, how confident he is...I have absolutely no doubt that he could be a great NBA player."

Mike D'antoni, Coach K, and Greg Popovich (Team USA coaches):

When asked who is the best player Team USA has played against while they have been coaching it:

"Vassilis Spanoulis."

When D'antoni and Coach K were asked how good Spanoulis was:

"He's in the top 5 players in the world."

Rick Adelman (one of the best NBA coaches):

On why Jeff Van Gundy didn't play Spanoulis:

"I looked at all the games from last year, and I honestly have no idea why he didn't play. He was good. I will definitely play him."

Kobe Bryant (one of the greatest basketball players of all history):

On Spanoulis, whom he was specifically tasked with guarding at the Olympics:

"Man, Spanoulis really is an amazing player. He's a great player. A great player."

Dwyane Wade (one of the best NBA players):

On Spanoulis after Team USA lost to Greece at the World Basketball Cup:

"I really don't think people in the United States have any understanding on just how good some of these international players are that we are going against."

Xavi Pascual (Barcelona head coach):

"When we prepared to play Olympiacos, we designed the entire game plan on simply stopping one player...Spanoulis. The plan was that every player on the team had to focus on him when he was in the game, and we would have 2-3 players on him at all times."

Zab Tabak (Baskonia head coach):

On Spanoulis before the game:

"Obviously Spanoulis is a really great player, but I don't want to focus all the defense on him, or to double and triple team him. I just want to play him straight up, because otherwise, if we send 2 to 3 players at him on defense, Olympiacos can pass the ball around and other players will be open and beat us."

On Spanoulis after the game:

"Well, I had to change the game plan after the first quarter because I decided not to double team Spanoulis to start the game. Honestly, I don't know what in the hell I was thinking."

There are many more such comments.............

Spanoulis is for sure the best player in Europe now. He should be in the NBA, where he would be the best point guard in the league.

You made an excellent post. OK, you exaggerated a bit about him being the best player in the last four or five years when he wasn't even the best player on team while in Panathinaikos. You provided video, quotes, his stats and his measurements.

You had done a pretty admirable job and then you had to go on and destroy it? Better than any PG in the NBA? D.Rose, CP3, Russel Westbrook, Kyrie Irving and D.Will would stomp all over him any given time.

Spanoulis biggest strength is his scoring, not his passing. It's not that he is a bad passer, he is pretty good but nowhere near the level of those guys. Even chuckers like Westbrook are still seeing the court better.

Oh and, as you obviously know, he played on the NBA. So he doesn't really fit on the category.

I agree this is one of the few Greek players that could have had a good career in the NBA... definitely a great player but I doubt he would be the best point guard though. He would not be better than Rose, Paul etc in the NBA, that's just ridiculous.

Incredible! Spanoulis is on the level of Wade, Rose, or Westbrook (no, he's better!), but when he was in Houston (wait, isn't there supposed to be an anti-Greek squad guarding the entrance of each and every basketball arena in the US? Usually they shoot any Greek-looking guy at sight), Van Gundy just ignored him! That guy is racist! Ra-cist! R-A-C-I-S-T!!!!

Kids from Indiana High Schools that would dominate the Greek League. It could be a 100 part series of posts. Then I could start on the kids who are in college now from Indiana High Schools. Then the Nba players.
Nah, too much work.